Can pregnancy impact aesthetics? Anya Georgijevic speaks to three creators who say yes.
While having “baby brain” is a frequent complaint among pregnant women, scientific literature on the subject is decidedly mixed. Very few studies support the idea that women experience a decline in cognitive abilities during the nine months of gestation. Occasional forgetfulness or mental fogginess can simply be attributed to fatigue—a common side effect of the body working to create another human being. On the contrary, research by Dr. Kelly Lambert and Dr. Craig Howard Kinsley at the University of Richmond, in Richmond, Va., suggests that pregnancy boosts a woman’s creative output. Hormones such as estrogen and oxytocin, which are released during pregnancy and postpartum, dramatically enrich parts of the brain linked to memory and learning. And other studies have linked oxytocin to creative cognition—the ability to produce insights, ideas and solutions.
During her first pregnancy, Montreal-based fashion designer Eliza Faulkner found that she worked more efficiently, became especially attuned to the task at hand and spent less time questioning her decisions. “It was a more practical process, I would say, and a lot more focused,” she says. “There was a lot less thinking about my creativity and more just getting on with it.” During her recent second
Eliza Faulkner and her son (opposite page), Tanya Taylor (left) and Stefanie Ayoub (right) pregnancy, she once again found herself not dwelling on the small details. “I don’t feel like the collection was ever negatively affected by it.”
For Tanya Taylor, pregnancy was a highly creative time. “I designed our best collection [Spring 2018] while I was pregnant with my first son because it just felt so joyful and uplifting and I was so excited,” she says. During her second pregnancy, the New York-based Canadian was also drawn to celebratory prints and colourful palettes.
Though she had resigned herself to wearing loose maternity clothes for several months, when designing during pregnancy, Taylor gravitated toward more body-conscious shapes. “We’re designing a lot of pieces that have more openness around the neck and show more skin,” she says. “And there’s more overt use of feminine shapes. I don’t think it’s necessarily about the practicality of when you become a mom and what you need to wear; it’s more about the mood of how to celebrate starting a new chapter and what fashion can look like to help you celebrate it.”
Like Taylor, Faulkner found herself attracted to formfitting silhouettes. “Pregnancy gave me an appreciation for my waist. I’ve always loved oversized clothes, but after having a baby, and even though I knew I was bigger, I started wanting more form-fitting clothes again,” says the designer, who gave birth to her second child in July. But practicality was also on her mind. When designing her upcoming fall collection, Faulkner included a few cozy pieces—a hoodie and loose tops for easy layering: “I knew I was going to be postpartum so I designed a little bit selfishly.”
The idea of comfort is also on Stefanie Ayoub’s mind. The Toronto-based designer behind Boneset Studio had her first child this summer and found herself being extravigilant about the quality of fabrics while pregnant. “We always care about good-quality fabrics but even more so during pregnancy,” she says. “I just wanted things to be soft and breathable and to feel really nice.” She ended up sourcing luxe summer linens from a small heritage mill in Ireland.
The quality of fabrics is something that Taylor also took to heart. “You’re sensitive to what feels good on your skin,” she explains. “I think of fabrics that are really breathable and natural and that have a kind of airiness. Nothing that feels too constrained or tight.”
Becoming an expectant mother also made Ayoub question the sustainability of the fashion industry. “It has changed my perspective of consumption more than anything—what you need and what you really don’t need,” she says. Ayoub has begun using fabric scraps to make clothing for her baby, although a full children’s line is not on the horizon.
The idea of making clothing for little ones has proven irresistible to Taylor, though. “We’ve done one-off children’s pieces whenever anyone on the team has had a baby,” she says. “We’ve made them a custom Tanya Taylor letterman jacket or a little army jacket. Or we’ve done these incredible little floral dresses.” Now, childrenswear is something she is considering permanently adding to her brand’s offerings down the line.
When it comes to their personal style, Taylor and Faulkner have both found that pregnancy and motherhood have resulted in a noticeable change in their perspective. “I think they’ve probably divided my opinion on what I want to wear into two ends of the spectrum,” says Taylor, who finds herself either reaching for feminine silhouettes from her own line or athleisure pieces for weekend outings. “Before, I think I probably had more appreciation for the middle.”
Faulkner, on the other hand, found that she upped the ante style-wise after having a child. “In a way, I take fashion more seriously,” she says. “I’m more committed to making an effort and not being afraid to try new things. It makes you really appreciate when you get to dress nicely.” n